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A Raging Anti-Smokite And Entering Freakdom

What sound did I wake up to today? Alarm clock? No. Birds harmoniously chirping? No. My cat licking himself incessantly, that sort of constant slurp slurp that while I love my cat really grosses me out? No. It was the hacking of my neighbor…think a phlegm coated throat, trying to work up a loogie but nothing is quite coming up, oh wait, there it comes!

My neighbor is a nice enough dude, later twenties, but a smoker. He goes out on his little balcony porch thing and is constantly lighting up. Hacking up soon follows. Today it seriously sounded like he was about to die. Now that it’s getting warmer here and there’s not AC in my apartment I naturally open the windows. So his smoke, and hacking drifts into my place.

I’m just going to say this, call me an anti-smokite if you will, but I can’t stand smoking. I’m not a racist, I’m pro-gay rights and love my gay friends, I don’t care if you’re purple and think you’re from the moon….but smoking gets to me. I have never had a cigarette in my life and have never had the urge, I was kinda lucky I guess and was able to dodge any real peer pressure to try all that and other stuff growing up because everyone knew I was ‘the runner girl’ and it sort of gave me that free pass. “She’s in training not a complete loser.” Little did they know that I was in fact a loser, but for plenty other reasons.

But we all have our vices. I’ll never be a smoker but there are plenty of other things that keep me from obtaining that stamp of perfection. Surprising, I know! So let’s run down Cait’s list of freakdom habits:

* I’m boring. I’ll just get this one up and out of the way off the bat. I try my very best to not be, but let’s face the facts. I’ll own it.

* Celeb trash. When I grab the rags in the supermarket line I sort of joke the anyone nearby, “Might as well since we’re waiting.” But who am I fooling? I’m a subscriber, love E! News, and always enjoy a good celeb body showdown/comparison on other people’s blogs.

* I drink like a fish. Water that is. I don’t like alcohol, I seriously don’t like the taste. Judge me if you will. But even if I DID like it, not gonna lie, I’d rather eat my calories folks…just saying. But back to water, I seriously take a waterbottle nearly everywhere, I’m always thirsty.

* I can’t cook. I’m not just saying that. I’m trying to get better, I’m reading recipes, drooling, and WISHING I could cook. Make a few failed attempts. But I’m a microwave queen. I think a part of this is also that I’m lazy. I want my food now. I think here we go back to needing an assistant.

* Enter psychosis. OCD. Lot’s of people say they’re OCD kind of joking; and people probably think I am whenever I say it too. Not that I make a habit to blurt it out, but in a rare moment of seriousness here, I do in fact have OCD. Now, most of my ‘things’ people probably don’t notice on a daily basis, and I’m not so bad I’m soon to be featured on Dr. Phil or that OCD House show. But really some of my quirks are actually quite funny and I don’t mind making fun of myself about them. In fact I’m sure that whole treadmill quirks thing tipped a few people off. Anyways I wasn’t even really sure if I was going to list this one, but I would be lying if I said it didn’t make life a tad more difficult at times. It has also made me more sympathetic or understanding of people who go through their own shiznit, struggles, and addictions. Their things may be different, we all have our own crap, but I sort of know the thought process behind feeling compelled to do something that logically you know is either ridiculous or not in your best interest.

* Eavesdropping, people-watching, blog reading, I think there’s a trend there. I guess I’m nosy. I love feeling ‘in the loop’ even if it’s just dumb stuff. I’m NOT the creeper lurking in the bushes with a telephoto lens though, I’m not a perv. I know when to draw the line.

*Food on the brain. I’m a foodie. Kinda ironic since I can’t cook, but thankfully most of my fav’s can either be ordered, eaten with minimal prep, and like I said I’m actually quite the whiz with that micro. Anyways, when I’m not actually eating I also love reading what other people are cooking up and posting on their blogs, I guess we come back to being nosy here.

* Running talk nearly ranks supreme.I could talk about/read about/look at pix of people running forever (or fitness in general); that is when I’m not actually doing it. Oh, I even draw about it. I guess this can be annoying to people at times so that’s my reasoning behind listing it.

* The mother of all: exercise. Okay, okay, I admit that some people have said I’m addicted to exercise. I’m on the fence with this one, I say there’s a good chance, but if I had to pick an addiction I’d rather get my fix running than strung out on some street corner. That’s just me, and if I AM addicted I’m fine with that.

Well I may be all those things and more, but I’m not a smoker. So that makes me okay. 😉 jk.

Today, after waking up to such a wonderful sound I clocked in a total of 11 miles and change on the tread. Warm-up and cool-down with the middle 5 miles uptempo. I’m happy to report I felt better than two days ago, hopefully getting some juice back in those legs, but not quite ‘there’ yet I still am not hitting the splits of a few weeks back. Then upperbody weights, some lunges and squats. Hope your Wednesdays are off to a great start!

PS- I also talk way too fast, talk way too much when I’m nervous, and laugh when it’s not appropriate.

1) What are some of your vices or I guess habits?

2) Where do you stand on smoking?

3) Hump day baby, who are you doing…I mean WHAT are you doing? (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

Haha I'm with you on most of your vices/habits! Lol I drink SO much (water only too!!) that I have to get up in the night to go! There's some TMI for you:)

Smoking=blech. Never ever ever. End of story.

And what did I do on my Hump Day…I went to my first ever Pilates class (core=OUCH), baked PB cookies which were heavenly, went to spin fuelled by those cookies, and then watched a Criminal Minds marathon. It was a tough day:)

I think I have ADD, or just a really short attention span. Kind of odd since I am a long-distance runner. Maybe that's my way of treating it. My brain is all over the place and I get distracted easily. Funny because Dave is OCD. I'll have clothes and clutter strewn about, then he cleans the house and I can't find anything!

I HAVE to have a water bottle with me at all times. I drink so much water and feel parched almost immediately if I don't have some with me. This started in high school. My coach gave us this info sheet on nutrition and hydration, but I think I miscalculated how much water I needed to drink. I'd force down bottle after bottle and eventually became "addicted." I have to pee all the time.

Of course I think about running all the time too. Sometimes I think I'm crazy because it's not like running is my career. I'm mediocre at it compared to someone who does do it as a career. That's why I make friends with other runners, so I don't feel so weird. Any time I'm around non-runners, I feel like a freak when I mention running. I have to explain things…it's too much work.

Today I've been at work. Now waiting for the wind to die down so I can run. I've yet to hump anyone.

So much of what you said just hit me on the dot! I live right above smokers and I cringe. They are always outside smoking and they throw their cigs all over the grass and my poor puppy always wants to eat them 🙁 Needless to say, I never have my screen door open because smoke will come pooring in…grrrr!I think most runners/fitness freaks are OCD. I know for a fact I can be totally OCD about my working out. It bugs me if I don't get my workout in the same time everyday.

Oh yeah, smoking. My grandma died of lung cancer and I was probably the only kid that D.A.R.E. had any effect on, so never had the desire to smoke or do other drugs. I finally tried a cigarette on my last day of college just to say I did it and was not impressed.

I do drink on occasion. Despite what my facebook photos might indicate, it's really not very often. I did not drink in high school at all, even though I don't think my parents would have cared (reverse psychology I suppose). I started drinking in college after I got injured and couldn't run. Probably because I was so serious/goody goody in high school, I was bound to one day say "f**k it" and let loose a bit. I think I'm pretty well balanced with work and play these days though.

I said the same thing today when I saw these two (no older than 12 year olds) kids smoking today… "People still do that?" totally agree. And I swear, we are identical. I have a next-door neighbour who has the MOST disgusting habit of walking out of his house, SLAMMING his door, and hoarking up a huge snot spit. It makes me throw up in my mouth. Much like your cat's sound (hahahah I can totally picture it). I'm a little disappointed on the alcohol thing… mostly for our get together with you and Christina, I'll be the lone one drinking wine in the corner. Also, I am devastated that Canada Post is on strike right now. How can I function without my regular US Weekly mag????And Christina and I have talked about this too- we are both addicted to exercise, too! 11 miles, DAMN girl! I'm jeal 🙂

smoking….ummm no thanks. Funny story actually…we started our marathon this past weekend at 6am. Around mile 5 (so maybe a bit before 7) we pass this area that smells so much like smoke. This girl SCREAMS "don't freaking smoke around people running a marathon you IDIOTS." Ummm I died laughing. So hilarious. and kinda true. I was trying not to breathe in the smoke. and who has to be up at 7am to smoke?? really?

anyway…my vices are reality tv and stressing when things are not in even numbers. I really hate odd numbers. who knows why. kinda dumb and annoying. one time I tried to expose myself to odd numbers but then I just had anxiety. haha.

thanks for the sweet comment on my blog today. LOVED it. and you are pretty awesome. I am so glad I found your blog!

gotta say it: coming to my blog to find all these comments was like a flipping xmas morning for me! seriously, thank u all for stopping by and reading/replying to my ramblings!!!

i wish blogger wasn't so lame with this comment thing so i could reply easier to each individual comment but alas it's lame like that. so here's a few quick things i gotta address:

ya, i probably have ADD too, i seriously have to always be doing multiple things at once…always gotta keep these hands doing something! txgirl…sure, don't even try to deny it, i see the FB pix, i kno u're a total alchy. jk. 😉 oh, and ur remark about feeling awkward being so obsessed with running and not being a pro, i feel the EXACT same way. i get really embarrassed sometimes because i talk/read up on it so much and i flunked out of being really fast. so i like my fellow running fiends who love it and i don't feel so bad about this fact. lol.

katy, wat, ur post is on strike?!?! wow, i think i'd walk to the post office, break in and grab my celeb rag mag if it came to that. 😉

and julia…like i said i felt so bad for being MIA for so long and not immediately commenting on ur AWESOME race!!

oh, i was actually almost gonna add this part into the post: would you ever date a smoker? for me, not gonna lie it might be a deal-breaker! lol…it's the smell they carry everywhere. but then i'd hate to miss out on an awesome guy, was he a smoker when u guys started going out? thank goodness he kicked the butts to the curb. now he's got a hotter butt to fill it's place. 😉

Smoking is so icky. I find it shocking people still smoke even after all the knowledge is out there about just how terrible it is.

I appreciate your candidness about OCD. I get super ticked off when people say, "oh I'm so OCD." I refrain from punching them in the face because I know they're just ignorant. Those of us who have the disorder know just how debilitating it is and how it truly decreases your quality of life. OCD is a topic I haven't covered on my blog (yet) because it's so misunderstood and I don't think people really get what it means when you say you've been clinically diagnosed with this specific anxiety disorder. So props to you for talking so openly about it.

aww, thank you so much for your kind words, julie and i couldn't agree with you more. i am guilty myself sometimes in making light of certain things that really aren't funny but this disease is something that really can become so debilitating and limit a person's quality of life. i was hesitant to post the OCD thing because i know lots of people automatically jump on, "oh, so you just must be a total neat freak, vacuuming at midnight, and washing your hands until they bleed." i want to say, "well, that's how some people's disease manifests but everyone has different 'things.' but thank YOU for being so open yourself and trust me i fully understand how difficult it can be at times. always know u can talk/vent to me about it. 🙂

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Hello! My name is Cait, I'm a freelance writer, artist, and designer, founder of Ezzere running shirts. I'm more than a little obsessed with running so The Arty Runnerchick is dedicated to connecting with other runners and endorphin-obsessed through words and art! Read more...

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